Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-23


teau to be packed credit to be got from the
bank whore he was a wealthy customer and
certain Offices to be transacted for that other
bank in which he was an humble clerk and
it chanccd, in conformity with human ma
ture. that out Of all this business it was the
last that came to be neglected. Night found
him not only equipped with money Of his
own, but once more las ON that former occa-
sion Saddlcd with a considerable sum Of
other peoples
Now it Glanced there lived in the same
boarding house Il fellow clerk of his, an
honest fellow with what is called II weakness
for drink-though it might. in this case, have
been called strength, iOr the victim had
been drunk for week, together without the
briefest ntermission. To this unfortunate
John intlustcd "A letter with an nclosure of
bonds, addressed to the bank manager. Even
as he did 50 lac thought he perceived "a GER
tain haziness of eye and speech in his trustee:
but he was too hopeful to he stayed, silcnced
the voice of warning in his bosom, and with
one and the same gesture committed the
money to the clerk and himself into the
hands Of destiny.
| dwell, even at the risk of tcdium. on
Johns minutcst errors his case being so per-
picking to the moralst: but we have done
with them now the roll is closed. the reader
has the worst of our poor hero. and leave
him to judge for himself whether he or John
has been the less deserving. Hencctorth We
have TO follow the spectacle of "A man who
was mere whiptop for calamity: ON whose
, unmCrited misadvcnturcs not even the nu-
morist can look without pity. and bot even
the philosopher without alarm.
That same night the clerk entered upon a
bout Of drunkenness 50 consistent as to sur
prise even his intimate acquaintance. He
was speedily elected from the boarding house;
deposited his portmantcau with a perfect
stranger, who did not even catch his name;
wandered lie knew not where and was at
| last hove 80, all standing, in a hospital at
Sacramento. There, under the impenetrable
alias Of the number of his bed. the crapulous
! being lay for some more days unconscious Of
all things, and of one thing in particular:
that the police were after him Two
months had come and gone before the con-
valescent in the Sacramento hospital was
| identified with krl,man, the Ascending San
| Francisco clerk; even then, there must elapse
nearly fortnight more till the perfect
stranger could he hunted up the portinan-
teau recovered and Johns letter carried at
| length to its destination, the seal still un-
| broken, the inclosure still intact.
Meanwhile John had gone upon his hol-
days without a word. which was irregular,
and there had disappeared with him GER
tain sum of money. which was out of all
bounds of paliaton But he was known to
be careless. and believed TO be honest the
manager besides had regard for him. and
little was said, although something was no
doubt thought, until the fortnight was
finally at an end and the time had come for
John to rcappear. Then. indeed. the affair
began to look black, and when inquiries wero
made and the penniless clerk was found to
have amassed thousands of dollars and kent
them secretly in a rival establishment the
stoutest Of his friends abandoned him tba
books were overhauled for traces of ancient
| and artful frsud and tbouoh none vera
found there still prevailed n general innres-
sion of loss The telerraph was set in mo-
tion and the CORRESPONDENT of the hank in
Edinburgh. for which place it was under
stood TINT John had armed himself with ex-
t4nsiye credits. was warned to communicate
with the police.
Now this CORRESPONDENT was q friend Of
} MIR Nirholson's. he was well Acquainted with